Ladies and gentlemen... Kirk Voclain...

When it comes to senior photography (or any other field of photography) there are some photographers who are at the top of the food chain, Kirk Voclain is sitting at the big table.

There are several ways to measure success, not the least of which is your average sales per session, for Kirk it is just over $2,000 per senior.

Now if he were based in Hollywood $2,000 would not be all that impressive but he's not, his studio is in Houma Louisiana, a town of just over 30,000 people (it is neither large or rich).

I have seen Kirk speak and though he is a bit irreverent and doesn't seem to take himself too seriously (if he did would he put the above picture on his website, really?), but don't be fooled because he does take his photography and his business very seriously.

And one of the rules of success is to learn from those who have blazed a trail before you.

Kirk Voclain has cut a very wide path.

Take a look at his website and blog to get an insight into what he is doing.

If you ever get the chance to listen to him speak, run (do not walk) to the event.

This video is just under two minutes and will give you a good representation of Kirk's shooting style.

Learning from others...

If you are interested in senior portraiture, either improving what you are already doing or adding it as an option in your studio, chances are pretty good that there is another photographer out their that you can learn from.

Laura Daniels is one such person.

Her website, Senior17, is crisp, clean, and extremely easy to navigate.

It contains great senior portraits, instructional information / FAQ's for her seniors on hair, clothing, and makeup that serves two purposes - it will keep her from answering the same questions over and over again and if the guides are followed they will help ensure the best possible image for her clients.


I guess what I am trying to say is Senior17 is a good example of form AND function.

This year I have done more senior portraits than ever, they are fun, they are challenging, and can certainly help make any studio more profitable. I didn't reinvent the wheel, I looked at what successful studios were doing and adopted their good practices.

Be sure to check out Laura's website and blog, I bet you can learn from her too.

VIVA'S BOOK CLUB - CELEBRATIONS

Known for his over the top designs, Preston Bailey continually wows high society clients with his lavish creations. The event planning connoisseur has attracted countless celebrities such as Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Joan Rivers, Donna Karan, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Uma Thurman, and most recently Ivanka Trump (married October 25 2009) who have all trusted him to deliver one of a kind events.

Preston released his fourth book titled Celebrations in October 2009. In this book are dozens of the most recent, most extraordinary celebrations he’s created.

Looking for a little advice from the expert? Preston's words of wisdom for the bride to be - Once you hire your wedding vendors, let go. Trust them to do the job you have hired them to do. Walk away and let them work. That’s why you hire a wedding planner; to take care of the tasks, work with all of your vendors, and take care of the details.

Great advice Preston!

PLANNING A FALL WEDDING

Are you planning a Fall wedding? Here are a few points you may want to consider -

- Shorter days, longer evenings. Come September/October the sun goes down earlier than it did just weeks before. Keep this in mind if you’re planning an outdoor ceremony later in the afternoon and when discussing timelines for your pictures with your photographer.

- Fall brings with it cooler weather. Be sure to give your guests the heads up if your ceremony will take place outdoors so they can dress appropriately. Even sunny Fall afternoons can be cool. Placing a basket of inexpensive wraps or lap blankets at the entrance of your ceremony site for your guests to help themselves to is a nice touch.

- Outdoor ceremonies and pictures are amazing this time of year thanks to Mother Nature. The leaves are changing colours creating a beautiful backdrop. The best part about this decor, it’s free!

- Decor for your reception can be inexpensive as well if you’re looking to incorporate the sights and smells of Fall. Pumpkins, corn stalks, wheat, leaves and bushels of apples are all Fall favourites.

- There are many venues in the Ottawa area that are perfect for Fall weddings, providing you with a rustic feel without having to forgo elegance and charm. Strathmere, Bean Town Ranch, Code's Mill, Saunders Farm and Temple's Sugar Camp are just a few.

- Roasted turkey and pumpkin pie are often popular choices for a Fall wedding menu however if your wedding follows the Thanksgiving holiday (when your guests most likely polished off a 20 pound turkey and then endured a week of eating leftovers) you may want to reconsider. If you’d still like to include Fall like food on your menu serve warm apple cider in a glass mug with a cinnamon stick stirrer during your cocktail hour, hearty soup in a hollowed out pumpkin as a starter at dinner and squash or sweet potato as a side with your main meal. Baked apple crumple or pecan pie is a great choice for dessert.

- If you`re doing favours, why not incorporate your Fall theme? Beautifully wrapped candied apples, small bottles of maple syrup with personalized labels, homemade apple jelly or little cellophane bags of apple cider mix tied with pretty Fall ribbon and a cinnamon stick are all great favours your guests are sure to enjoy.

- Save the dates are always a good idea when planning a wedding close to a holiday, Thanksgiving included. Many people who do not live in the same city as the rest of their family plan on travelling home for the holidays so everyone can be together. If they are aware in advance that your wedding will take place shortly before or after the holiday, they may decide to wait until your wedding to travel home. Depending on where they`re coming from, not everyone can afford to make two trips.

- Typical Fall wedding colours are brown, orange, gold, yellow and red but if you’re not crazy about these colours, don`t use them. Just like the decor of a wedding in December doesn`t have to be all about Christmas, January weddings don’t have to have a Winter wonderland theme and flowers for your Spring wedding don’t have to be tulips – a wedding held in the Fall doesn’t have to have anything to do with Fall at all.

Photo Credits: Jennifer Schumacher Photography

Man am I tired...

It is very unusual for me not to post for consecutive days... and I missed you guys!

;)

A friend of mine has a small internet company and late Sunday night his mail server crashed so I spent 36 hours (from late Sunday night to Tuesday morning) building a new server, restoring backups, blah, blah, blah. Bet you didn't know in my previous life I was a geek (pocket protector and all).

Of course the process was regularly interrupted with phone calls from ill mannered people with self important chest pounding about who they were and how important their email was.

I got home Tuesday morning just in time to take one of my daughters (who had gotten sick overnight) to the doctors.

While I sat in the waiting room I thought about all the things that had been put "on hold" for the last several days, things that I enjoy, that are important to me, and this blog is one of those things.

Writing this blog is both fun and an educational experience for me. I learn new things, try new products that I otherwise would never have had access to, but best of all I make new friends. I get to "meet" and talk to folks from all over the world. The number of emails I received asking if I was okay, what was going on, was pleasantly surprising.

Weekly Photo Tips is a joyful part of my life.

Things are back to "normal", mail is flowing and children are well.

Tomorrow we'll pick up where we left off, finishing up with seniors. I have a few more helpful links and senior specific products to review.

See ya Then.

The newly released "Learn & Explore" iPhone/Touch app from Nikon gives you access to information that was previously only available on the Nikon USA website.

You can read an article on getting the most from travel photography while you’re on vacation, adjusting depth of field or selecting the right shutter speed when taking photos at a sporting event, or advice on the right aperture for indoor photography.

Photography information at your fingertips and on the go.

In addition to articles on the fundamentals of photography and shooting techniques, you can read the latest issue of Nikon World magazine, complete with images and audio slideshows.

It also comes with a complete photography glossary.

And best of all, it's FREE!

Senior portrait resources from RangeFinder...

Get ready for some serious reading.

Below is a list of articles from nationally recognized photographers that specialize in senior portraiture

Each article is a printable PDF and when selected will open in a new window.

Kurt Brewer - Kurt Brewer Has a Way With Seniors

Dan Brouillette - From Science to Senior Portraits

Beth Forester - Tattoo Your Seniors

Beth Forester - What's the Buzz all About?

Chris Nelson - Location, Location, Location—Redefined!

Cabel Noteboom - Back to Nature

John Ratchford - Empower Your Seniors

Hernán Rodriguez - From Classroom to Catwalk

Tim Schooler - The Portrait Experience

Tim Schooler - Variety is a Must

Jeff Smith - Senior Sessions

Kim Sparks - Hanging with Kim Sparks